Courage & Defiance: Stories of Spies, Saboteurs, and Survivors in World War II Denmark
Scholastic Inc | ISBN 9780545592215 Paperback
352 Pages | 5.26" x 8.03" | Ages 8 to 12
The remarkable story of the Danish resistance and rescue of over 7,000 Jews during WWII
When the Nazis invaded Denmark on Tuesday, April 9, 1940, the people of this tiny country to the north of Germany awoke to a devastating surprise. The government of Denmark surrendered quietly, and the Danes were ordered to go about their daily lives as if nothing had changed. But everything had changed.
Award-winning author Deborah Hopkinson traces the stories of the heroic young men and women who would not stand by as their country was occupied by a dangerous enemy. Rather, they fought back. Some were spies, passing tactical information to the British; some were saboteurs, who aimed to hamper and impede Nazi operations in Denmark; and 95% of the Jewish population of Denmark were survivors, rescued by their fellow countrymen, who had the courage and conscience that drove them to act.
With her talent for digging deep in her research and weaving real voices into her narratives, Hopkinson reveals the thrilling truth behind one of WWII’s most daring resistance movements.
Raves & reviews:
Praise for Courage & Defiance: Stories of Spies, Saboteurs, and Survivors in World War II Denmark
"What Hopkinson writes of one of her characters truly serves to describe them all: 'Niels had followed his conscience: he was an ordinary citizen who’d begun doing extraordinary things.' Niels’ own words, as well as those of his comrades, enliven and bring verisimilitude to Hopkinson’s spirited, inspiring, and extremely well-researched book." —Booklist
"An informative, often gripping chronicle of daring, heroic acts of young men and women who did not stand by as their country was occupied by a dangerous enemy." —Kirkus Reviews
"With numerous pictures and illustrations accompanying the text, this is a fascinating look at a little-known corner of WWII." —Publishers Weekly